English-track International Students’ Language Perceptions and Preferences in Korean University Settings

This study quantitatively investigated language perceptions and language preferences of 169 English-track international students at Korean universities. Results showed that students strongly preferred using English when communicating with faculty and administrative staff. Interestingly, they also perceived English proficiency as a resource that could facilitate their Korean learning. In Korean language classes, they favored a bilingual approach over Korean-only instruction, preferring Korean for spoken interaction and English for written communication. Significant differences emerged across school years. In particular, second-year students who had recently transitioned to their majors and faced more complex communication demands exhibited notably different preferences than those of other cohorts. Based on these findings, Korean language classes for English-track international students should reflect learners’ linguistic needs by academic year. Bilingual or English communication in course instructions and emails may support students’ cognitive and emotional adjustment, while providing grammar and vocabulary materials in both languages for first- and second-year students can facilitate academic adaptation. At the same time, sustained support for Korean learning is essential for English-track students who must take general or major courses conducted in Korean.